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Sadness exists in isolation. Everywhere I look around I only see, hear and read stories of struggle, stories of loss, stories of pain. I read Syria, I read genocide, I read hunger, farmer’s suicide, young men dying at the border leaving an orphan behind. Then I also hear stories of men and women suffering from sadness which they can’t explain, stories of suicide and end of life which looked perfect from all angles, stories of life brought to a halt by illness of the mind. If I tell a depressed man, whose life seems picture perfect, to look around and see the pain of the toddler who is now an orphan, the man’s pain will not magically disappear. Such is the reality of sadness. It exists in isolation. My pain is not bigger or smaller than yours, it’s just different. It’s just isolated. Its like many different planets or worlds which exists without even knowing what its like to live on that different planet. We are all united in our sufferings. All we need is to build that bridge to come closer.

Eurokids was highly recommended to me by my friends who live in NOIDA and Bangalore so before I start saying anything about Eurokids I want to say that may be the problem is only with the Dwarka Sector 13 centre or it could be with multiple centres, I am not sure. I can only talk about Sector 13 Dwarka. Here are the reasons why I will never recommend Eurokids to other parents:-

1. My daughter was 2 years old when we got her admitted in the playgroup. That time we were told that the school timings are from 9-11:30 am. My daughter’s school van now comes at 9 am and she comes back home only after12:15. Considering the distance from our home, the school is just 1.5 km away and if the school is getting over by 11:30 am, my daughter should be home by 11:50 or 12 noon. Earlier she was coming back home on time but for the past few months, ta the height of summers; her van started coming very late. No communication had come from school with the time change as a result parents from our society kept standing in the June afternoon waiting for the van. When we asked the van driver why was he late. He said, he is supposed to drop kids of some other school 1st and then only he can drop Eurokids children. I was so furious on this attitude of taking our time and children for granted and not even communicating anything to us, I called up the centre number many times but no one answered, I called up their Head Office in Mumbai who gave me a regional number in Delhi. I called them up, complained but I don’t know if any action has been taken on my complaint.

2. I was told that since most children are not potty trained so they have ayas to take children to the toilet and even when they soil the diapers they wipe the children like we do at home. Initially they are doing this but all of a sudden my daughter has started coming back home with soiled clothes. They simply remove the diaper and don’t clean the child. As a result, the stool dries up on her skin and clothes. This has happened multiple times. The aya was so rude that she even told our maid that we should make our child pass stool at home before sending her to school. The school expects us to train a child who is not even 3 years old to be potty trained like adults rather than having caretakers who can genuinely take care of small children with compassion. In fact, on one day when the van arrived before time, the teacher who comes in the van was rude again and said, “Were you sleeping?”

3. I enrolled my daughter for their summer camp also, they asked for an English note book for handwriting practise during summer school. I really did not like the idea of teaching English writing in a summer camp but that was also not the problem, they simply kept the note book at school and I don’t even know what they did with the note book I sent in my daughter’s bag.

4. My daughter comes home very thirsty. Obviously they don’t open the water bottle for her so that she could have some water.

5. Another parent’s kid got bitten by another child but the school did not inform the parent. The mother got to know of it when she saw the bite mark on her child’s face. The same parent then told me that the school does not have teachers and instead of maintaining a ratio of 1:15 they are now handling 30 children in each batch with 1 teacher.

6. Every 2 months we keep getting calls for fees payments and a proof of payments even when the fee has been paid and the cheque has got credited.

A lot has happened over the past few weeks and government has actually issued a notification and formed a lokpal drafting committee with 50% representation from the civil society. But this has led to a lot of other events too. This entire crusade started to be called as another freedom struggle; struggle to free the country from corruption. However, in the midst of all this many raised several doubts and some even questioned Anna’s credibility by calling him a fake or someone with hidden agendas or someone who might be just a token face of an organisation which is behind all this. Wow!!! Sounds like the script of the Hindi political drama Rajneeti Part 2.

But let’s take the concerns one by one. I have tried to list down all the possible questions and concerns that people raised and have tried to analyse them to the best of my sensibility. If you have any point to make please do feel free to leave a comment.

Many people especially media claimed that in the wake of Egypt’s Tahrir square, aam junta started to feel that we can also do an Egypt and that is why this event picked up so much momentum. I want to agree to this to some extent but I will mostly disagree. There could be many people in the crowd who were too agitated and adrenalin driven that they almost thought they would create an Egypt like situation. But when Anna started the crusade he made it very clear that the crusade is not against the government not does he intend to create any instability in the government. In fact politicians were not even entertained to come and express their solidarity.

This movement gained so much momentum because it touched upon an open sore which effected poor and rich alike; corruption. It was the first time that middle class and the youth who are generally considered apathetic towards the functioning of the country, participated in large numbers. The reason was, in the wake of so many scams where public money was being looted and no one being punished, there was a latent anger inside everyone and Anna could tap that. For the first time the middle class, who no politician cares for, felt important.

In a state where almost every investigation agency was almost powerless, where every politician became synonym with corruption, there came a man with impeccable integrity. Anna was the man behind forcing Maharashtra government to pass the RTI ordinance. Later, when the government wanted to amend the RTI act, Anna again started fasting to stop it from being amended. People believed in him and put their faith in him. Agreed, that most of them did not even know or care what exactly was there or going to be there in the lokpal bill. But they were mostly expressing their solidarity. The public just wanted the goal (corruption free India) to be achieved and I don’t think really cared or thought about the means to achieve the goal. Anna looked like the man who could do this for them.

The crusade being anti-democratic and a blackmail: – Well, any protest is a blackmail of sorts. You want something in return to stop your protest. That is blackmail. It might be termed anti-democratic because the draft of the lokpal bill has given the lokpal a lot of powers. It says that every public servant will be under its realm including the Supreme Court judge. Many people are thinking that lokpal will become so powerful that it will be able to prosecute and punish anyone and thereby shake the very foundation of how India works. What is the final bill which gets introduced is still needs to be seen.

I however, do think that we need a powerful lokpal. Simply because, though we do have anti-corruption bodies like the CVC, which is powerless and the CBI which is not independent, a lokpal will merge all these bodies into its realm making investigation fair and effective. Whistle-blower and witness protection rights is also something that lokpal will deal with. The cases will move fast and if found guilty, the verdict will be quick. In a country like India, where justice is always delayed, we need a very strong lokpal and the participation of people in the lokpal is very important because, in a democracy the government is for the people, by the people. So if the public servant or the elected member is not doing his duties properly, the master meaning the public who voted them to power will have a role in the form of lokpal to question them. I think in any healthy democracy people’s participation should not be limited to just voting. Their participation should be more active.

I don’t think lokpal is anti-democracy. I feel it could become one the pillars of democracy. However, the government version of lokpal and the public version of lokpal are very different. The main obstacle now is to reach a consensus to create a powerful lokpal and not a toothless tiger. What is presented in the monsoon session of the parliament is to be seen. Let’s wait till then.

People don’t participate when there is a tribal movement or when there is a person like Irom Sharmilla fasting for almost 10 years against AFSPA:- What we keep forgetting here is, the reason why so many people came together was because we all have a common enemy i.e. corruption. When there is a tribal atrocities agitation or an agitation against human rights violation in Kashmir or the north east, we empathise with them but we generally do not go out of our way to even find out what is happening there. So many of us do not even know the names of the states and their capitals in the north-east. That’s the bitter truth. The reason is simple. Their plight does not affect us directly.

Irom’s fasting against AFSPA did attract the Manmohan Singh government’s attention and she was told that the act will be reviewed but nothing has been done so far. It is going through the fate of the lokpal bill which was being brushed under the carpet for the last 42 years. The government needed a jolt like what Anna could do to have them start acting on it. Irom also needs to give a jolt to the government for her issue to be addressed. In fact, AFSPA is a more complex issue because the government claims the need for it is to maintain peace and internal security of the country. Where internal security is an issue (as the government puts it) in that situation Irom has a tougher role to play to convince the aam junta to play by her side.

Here is (from Wiki) why according to the Indian government AFSPA is important.

In 2004, in the wake of intenseagitation that was launched by several civil society groups following the death of Thangjam Manorama, while in the custody of the Assam Rifles and the indefinite fast undertaken by Irom Sharmila, Union Home MinisterShivraj Patil visited Manipur and reviewed the situation with the concerned state authorities. In the same year, Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh assured activists that the central government would consider their demand sympathetically.

The central government accordingly set up a five-member committee under the Chairmanship of Justice B P Jeevan Reddy, former judge of the Supreme Court. The panel was given the mandate of “reviewing the provisions of AFSPA and advising the Government of India whether (a) to amend the provisions of the Act to bring them in consonance with the obligations of the government towards protection of human rights; or (b) to replace the Act by a more humane Act.”

The Reddy committee submitted its recommendations on June 6, 2005. However, the government failed to take any concrete action on the recommendations even after almost a year and a half. The then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee had rejected the withdrawal or significant dilution of the Act on the grounds that “it is not possible for the armed forces to function” in “disturbed areas” without such powers.

The 147-page report recommends, “The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, should be repealed.” During the course of its work, the committee members met several individuals, organisations, parties, institutions and NGOs, which resulted in the report stating that “the Act, for whatever reason, has become a symbol of oppression, an object of hate and an instrument of discrimination and high handedness.” The report clearly stated that “It is highly desirable and advisable to repeal the Act altogether, without of course, losing sight of the overwhelming desire of an overwhelming majority of the [North East] region that the Army should remain (though the Act should go).”

But activists say the Reddy panel despite its recommendation for the ‘repeal of the Act’ has nothing substantial for the people. The report recommends the incorporation of AFSPA in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, which will be operable all over India.

United Nations view

When India presented its second periodic report to the United Nations Human Rights Committee in 1991, members of the UNHRC asked numerous questions about the validity of the AFSPA. They questioned the constitutionality of the AFSPA under Indian law and asked how it could be justified in light of Article 4 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ICCPR. On 23 March 2009, UN Commissioner for Human RightsNavanethem Pillay asked India to repeal the AFSPA. She termed the law as “dated and colonial-era law that breach contemporary international human rights standards.”

The Attorney General of India responded that the AFSPA is a necessary measure to prevent the secession of the North Eastern states. He said that a response to this agitation for secession in the North East had to be done on a “war footing.” He argued that the Indian Constitution, in Article 355, made it the duty of the Central Government to protect the states from internal disturbance and that there is no duty under international law to allow secession.

Non-governmental organizations’ analysis

The act has been criticized by Human Rights Watch as a “tool of state abuse, oppression and discrimination”.

“This reasoning exemplifies the vicious cycle which has been instituted in the North East due to the AFSPA. The use of the AFSPA pushes the demand for more autonomy, giving the people of the North East more reason to want to secede from a state which enacts such powers and the agitation which ensues continues to justify the use of the AFSPA from the point of view of the Indian Government.” – The South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre

A report by the Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis points to multiple occurrences of violence by security forces against civilians in Manipur since the passage of the Act. The report states that residents believe that the provision for immunity of security forces urge them to act more brutally the article, however, goes on to say that repeal or withering away of the act will encourage insurgency.

In addition to this, there have been claims of disappearances by the police or the army in Kashmir by several human rights organizations.

Many human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch (HRW) have condemned human rights abuses in Kashmir by Indians such as “extra-judicial executions”, “disappearances”, and torture; the “Armed Forces Special Powers Act”, which “provides impunity for human rights abuses and fuels cycles of violence. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) grants the military wide powers of arrest, the right to shoot to kill, and to occupy or destroy property in counterinsurgency operations. Indian officials claim that troops need such powers because the army is only deployed when national security is at serious risk from armed combatants. Such circumstances, they say, call for extraordinary measures.” Human rights organizations have also asked Indian government to repeal the Public Safety Act, since “a detainee may be held in administrative detention for a maximum of two years without a court order.”

United States leaked diplomatic cables

The Wikileaks diplomatic cables have recently disclosed that Indian government employees agree to acts of human rights violations on part of the Indian armed forces and various paramilitary forces deployed in the north east parts of India especially Manipur. The violations have been carried out under the cover of this very act. Governor S.S. Sidhu admitted to the American Consul General in Kolkata, Henry Jardine, that the Assam Rifles in particular are perpetrators of violations in Manipur which the very same cables described as a state that appeared more of a colony and less of an Indian state.

Earlier leaks had also stated that International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had reported to the United States diplomats in Delhi about the grave human rights situation in Kashmir which included the use of electrocution, beatings and sexual humiliation against hundreds of detainees. Kashmir is currently administered under this very act.

This above case is a very good example as to why such Anna like protest is required for the government to act. People who feel sad about why Irom’s case is not being heard but Anna’s 4 days fast was more effective sound like as if they are sad not because of the issues but because Anna did not have to set a personal fasting record to win a title. Disgusting!!!

Like I mentioned before, what Anna started was something we all could relate to and are victims of it.

There are some bloggers who go about saying we all are corrupt so corruption should stop at its root. Duh!!! Tell me something new. We all agree that most of us are corrupt. We grease palms when we jump signals, whenever we want to get our files noticed, when we want our work done. We also agree that to stop corruption we must not practice it too. I mean for God’ sake, Anna was not sitting there to give us moral education classes. He was there to compel the government to have civil society’s participation in the drafting committee. His job is not to start moral education classes. We all can use our judgments. We bribe people not because we love doing it. I mean c’mon, it’s our hard earned money why would I want to give it away to a corrupt person. We do it because, we want to get our work done and quickly. In India red tapism is rampant; files do not move or go missing for years if money is not paid. Letters are not answered, calls are not returned, no one is really interested in helping the aam junta or justify their salaries by coming to work or doing the job they are getting paid for. In a situation like this, the aam junta prefers to bribe and gets his work done rather than run pillar to post. This is yet another reason why the lokpal bill is important, because it will also take cases against public servants and departments for not doing their job.

Lastly, there are many people speculating huge funds have been used, there could be some hidden agendas of the organization who are behind it. The people who are behind the lokpal are much respected people of the society and their credibility is more important for them than any hidden agenda. There could be funds which might have been used to get badges made, NGO’s which must have spent their money to get pamphlets printed and advertisements published etc. but what is wrong in that. If the cause is noble then I don’t see anything wrong. If at all there were funds being used. at least these were not public money being misused. Talking about hidden agendas, well, I suppose the writers are speculating activists or that “certain” organisation’s entry into politics. Even if that happens, I still do not see anything wrong. Where we have so many criminals as politicians if we get someone who is not a criminal and is sincere about his job as a politician then I am happy with so called “hidden agenda”

Our role does not end with an agitation. We need to be more active in the country’s politics. We need to be seen at the polling station and not just at agitation venues. We need to exercise our right to vote and not just our right to freedom of speech and expression. We must not vote politicians who are not worthy of it. We must rise above petty politics of caste, creed, community and language.

What we have achieved is a milestone. We need to wait for the draft to be introduced. We need to see what exactly is there in the final version and if it actually gets passed. Till then this noble cause must be supported by each and every Indian and as responsible citizens we must not believe in any bad press without checking the facts because for whatever petty gains there will be people who would be undermining and maligning the whole cause and the people behind it.

Coming to my own blog after a very long time. Must admit have been very busy and when not busy, then lazy. But today I had to leave all work and laziness aside because the cause I wanted to write about and support by writing about, is very close to me. It’s about this man called Anna Hazare and Jan Lokpal bill. I must also admit that I am writing this post from the comfort of my home with a stomach full of food. I am not fasting nor am I sitting in the April Sun in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. That way I am an armchair activist (like so many others) but I wanted to write about this and contribute in whatever way possible.

Who is Anna Hazare?

Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare or Anna Hazare, is a social activist and a social worker. He used to work as a driver in the Indian Army and has been greatly influenced by Swami Vivekanada, Ghandiji and Acharya Vinobha Bhave. He is especially recognized for his contribution to the development of Ralegan Siddhi, a village in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra.

After voluntary retirement from the army, Hazare came to Ralegan Siddhi village in 1975. Initially, he led a movement to eradicate alcoholism from the village. Next, he motivated the residents of the village intoshramdan (voluntary labour) to build canals, small-scale check-dams and percolation tanks in the nearby hills for watershed development; efforts that solved the problem of scarcity of water in the village that also made irrigation possible. He helped farmers of more than 70 villages in drought-prone region in the state of Maharashtra since 1975.He also motivated the residents of the village to build a secondary school in the village through voluntary labour.

Below is the Wikipedia based information on the entire anti corruption crusade started by Anna.

Lokpal Bill movement

In 2011, Anna Hazare led a movement for passing a stronger anti-corruption Lokpal (ombudsman) bill in the Indian Parliament. As a part of this movement, N. Santosh Hegde, a former justice of the Supreme Court of India and Lokayukta of Karnataka, Prashant Bhushan, a senior lawyer in the Supreme Court along with the members of the India Against Corruption movement drafted an alternate bill, named as the Jan Lokpal Bill (People’s Ombudsman Bill) with more stringent provisions and wider power to the Lokpal (Ombudsman). Hazare has started a fast up to death from 5 April 2011 at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, to press for the demand to form a joint committee of the representatives of the Government and the civil society to draft a new bill with more stronger penal actions and more independenceto the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Ombudsmen in the states), after his demand was rejected by the Prime Minister of IndiaManmohan Singh.

Anna Hazare started his “Fast until Death” at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, stating “I will fast until Jan Lokpal Bill is passed”

The movement gathered quite a significant amount of support from India’s youth visible through the local support and on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Background of the movement

The movement started due to the resentment because of the serious differences between the draft Lokpal Bill 2010 prepared by the government and the Jan Lokpal Bill prepared by the members of this movement, which has received significant public support:

Draft Lokpal Bill 2010

Lokpal will have no power to initiate suo moto action or receive complaints of corruption from the general public. It can only probe complaints forwarded by LS Speaker or RS Chairman.

Lokpal will only be an Advisory Body. Its part is only limited to forwarding its report to the “Competent Authority”

Lokpal will not have any police powers. It can not register FIRs or proceed with criminal investigations.

CBI and Lokpal will have no connection with each other.

Punishment for corruption will be minimum 6 months and maximum up-to 7 years.

Lokpal will have powers to initiate suo moto action or receive complaints of corruption from the general public.

Lokpal will be much more than an Advisory Body. It should be granted powers to initiate Prosecution against anyone found guilty.

Lokpal will have police powers. To say that it will be able to register FIRs.

Lokpal and anti corruption wing of CBI will be one Independent body.

The punishment should be minimum 5 years and maximum up-to life imprisonment.

Lokpal will not be a monopoly for particular area

Jan Lokpal Bill

Lokpal will have powers to initiate suo moto action or receive complaints of corruption from the general public.

Lokpal will be much more than an Advisory Body. It should be granted powers to initiate Prosecution against anyone found guilty.

Lokpal will have police powers. To say that it will be able to register FIRs.

Lokpal and anti corruption wing of CBI will be one Independent body.

The punishment should be minimum 5 years and maximum up-to life imprisonment.

Jan Lokpal, an independent body that would investigate corruption cases, complete the investigation within a year and envisages trial in the case getting over in the next one year.

Drafted by Justice Santosh Hegde (former Supreme Court Judge and present Lokayukta of Karnataka), Prashant Bhushan (Supreme Court Lawyer) and Arvind Kejriwal (RTI activist), the draft Bill envisages a system where a corrupt person found guilty would go to jail within two years of the complaint being made and his ill-gotten wealth being confiscated. It also seeks power to the Jan Lokpal to prosecute politicians and bureaucrats without government permission.

Retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi and other known people like Swami Agnivesh, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Anna Hazare and Mallika Sarabhai are also part of the movement, called India Against Corruption. Its website describes the movement as “an expression of collective anger of people of India against corruption. We have all come together to force/request/persuade/pressurize the Government to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill. We feel that if this Bill were enacted it would create an effective deterrence against corruption.A look at the salient features of Jan Lokpal Bill:

1. An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up

2. Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations.

3. Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years.

4. The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.

5. How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant.

6. So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month’s time. You could also report any case of corruption to Lokpal like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years.

7. But won’t the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That won’t be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process.

8. What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/ Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any officer of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.

9. What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician.

10. It will be the duty of the Lokpal to provide protection to those who are being victimized for raising their voice against corruption.

To summarise, we can say, it will give more power to RTI act, corruption will be tackled and dealt with quickly, whistle blowers will (most likely) also get some protection for raising their voice against corruption.

There are many sections in the society who belive that Anna’s crusade is politically motivated or BJP might be behind all this. To set the record straight, let me add that Anna’s crusade is India’s crusade and is not politically motivated. In fact, Uma Bharti and Chautala were turned away when they wanted to join Anna. According to Anna, the politicians can come, sit amidst the public, listen to Anna’s speech and go away. Politicians will not be allowed to share the stage as he does not want any political colour to be given to his crusade and thereby maligning this noble cause. He also went ahead and said that his crusade is completely non-violent like Gandhiji who protested by going on hunger strike against every wrong in the society. Anna being a staunch Gandhian, is following the same path of hunger strike because all other avenues are closed. His crusade is not against the government nor does he want to create any political instability. He trusts no political party and wants to have a dialogue with either Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh. It clearly shows that Anna believes no one other than these two people in the entire government or the political setup of the country. Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh should not waste time in addressing this issue which has mobilised the entire nation.

According to Anna, this a 2nd freedom struggle for our country. Struggle to free our country from petty gains and greed.

By the way, India ranks very high on corruption. And like they said in the film, Rang De Basanti, “Koi bhi desh perfect nahi hota, usse perfect banana padta hai.” Anna’s step is a step towards that. Lets support him.

After having a baby, it is very important that you have a good pediatricianready. Someone known to us recommended Dr. Praveen Bopaiah and now after visiting her I also highly recommend her. Her clinic, like any other good and well-known doctor’s clinic, is always full of patients so it is advisable that you make an appointment with her whenever possible. In emergency cases you can call her and visit her at her house.

As a doctor, she understands parent’s concern and also knows what will a baby like and not like. I am sure her job must be difficult because her patients can hardly talk and explain their problems. But she knows the right treatment, diagnosis and medicines for the little babies. She is not very expensive also. Though my baby has suffered from minor ailments only but she always springs back into action after getting treated by Dr. Bopaiah.

When we discovered that we were expecting a baby, finding a good obstetrician was the 1st thing on our mind. We went to Apollo clinic at Fraser Town but were not very happy with the doctor. So we started shopping online and came to know of “The Cradle”, a hospital which specialises in delivering babies. In fact their tag line is, “Delivering joy” and I completely agree with the tag line because our delivery was indeed a joyful experience thanks to our doctor at The Cradle.

Dr. Anuradha Sadashivmurthy is an excellent doctor because as a first time parents, all our fears, concerns were handled by her very empathically. She always answered her cell phone and in cases where she could not, she would always call back. She was so helpful that she even told us things that we never knew were important. Like the exercises I could do and avoid, the food I should eat and should not eat. Her behaviour was also very warm and welcoming. Sometimes it felt as if she was genuinely happy for us even though we only shared a patient and doctor relationship. All through the pregnancy she never recommended useless medicines and kept saying that I have a very high chance of having a normal baby. From my friends I had heard that generally private hospitals insist on caesarean because that way they can earn a lot more money however in my case, my doctor said I will have a normal delivery and I had a very safe and quick normal delivery.

The pediatrics although is not something that I would recommend at The Cradle but in case you are looking for a very good hospital for delivery and general pregnancy related checkups then please consult Dr. Anuradha Sadashivmurthy because she is really very good at her work. The Cradle is expensive however compared with other private hospitals in Bangalore like Wockhardt, Apollo and Mallya it is relatively cheaper and definitely far better.

I recently had to get a root canal treatment done and was trying to avoid the procedure fearing all the horror stories people had told me before about root canal treatment. However, I could not escape going to the dentist as I generally get a scaling done every 6 months & this one was due for over a year now. Also, I started seeing a tiny lump on my gum where I had done a filling 2 years ago. I was on the lookout for a decent dentist who would not charge me a bomb. My niece suggested that I go to Dr. Ganesh Shetty’s clinic at Kammanahalli as he is their family dentist.

As Dr. Ganesh Shetty’s clinic was very close to home I fixed an appointment to get a scaling done and thought I will get root canal done by him only if I feel that he is a good doctor. Now my definition of a good doctor is one who I can share my silly fears with, can ask any question related to my ailment, someone who can empathise with me and make me comfortable, win my trust and most importantly help me deal with my fear and Dr. Ganesh Shetty could do all of this proving to be an excellent dentist.

My root canal was painless, absolutely painless. I was not charged a bomb. The entire process cost Rs.5000 including a porcelain crown. Whenever I had any problems I could call on his cell and he would pick up his phone. The staff at his clinic is also very courteous and helpful. The only problem is that his clinic is always crowded. I think that is a proof enough of him being a very popular and a good dentist.

There is a new Coffee World which has opened near Kammanahalli. We had gone there one evening for some salads. The one at Eva Mall has some nice salads and waffles, so we thought now that it has opened near our home let’s go there and enjoy their salads however the experience was awe full and here is why:-

1. There were no salads available to begin with though they had displayed a diet menu on all tables.

2. We were served no water until one of our friends asked for it 30 minutes later. Water was finally served but the waiter served only 1 glass of water when we were 3 in number.

3. We ordered for sandwiches and coffee. It took them another 30 minutes to make the sandwiches which the waiter brought 1 by 1 at an interval of 15 minutes. So My friend had to wait for our sandwiches to arrive so that we could all start together. As a result of which his grilled sandwich became cold.

4. Another 15 minutes for the 2nd sandwich to come and we decided to start eating rather than wait for another 15 minutes for the 3rd sandwich. Both the sandwiches were finished but the 3rd one was yet to arrive.

5. When the 3rd sandwich came it was a white bread sandwich instead of a brown bread one. So the waiter had to take it back to get us the right one. 15 more minutes and the 3rd sandwich (which now was our 4th sandwich technically) arrived but I guess this time they ran out of vegetables because the only vegetables the sandwich had was onions and capsicum. There were no tomatoes, no lettuce.

6. Coffee never came, so we had to remind them and were told that we never ordered coffee.

All in all very bad customer service and equally bad eating experience. Not recommended at all. Rather go to CCD or a Barista.

In May I had gone to Fusion Unisex salon which is at Kammanahalli main road. I had got an Aroma facial done which cost Rs.950. I was very happy thinking that finally there is a decent parlour near my house where I can go for my regular beauty treatments. But when I went there the 2nd time in June I was so disappointed and felt cheated. Here is why:-

1. The facial room looked used. The sheet on the table was crumpled and looked dirty as it had some grey smudges.

2. The changing gown felt wet and again I had my doubts on it being unused.
3. The massage lasted for just 20 minutes only whereas last time it lasted for 45 minutes.

4. This time I was not given a back & shoulder rub which was given to me last time.
5. I have a pimple prone skin and told the beautician not prick my pimples but she went ahead and pricked the pimples and I could feel blood coming out of them.
6. The face pack was also different this time which I did not like. Last time it was a sandalwood based mask which scented nice and felt good.
7.. Within a month’s time their rates have sky rocketed. The same facial now costs Rs.1350/- instead of Rs.950 which I paid in May and it’s clearly not worth that money especially when there are better parlours like Lakme and Kaya available in the same vicinity.

I wanted to open a current account in AXIS bank sometime in May 2010, so I went to the M.G. Road, Bangalore branch with all the relevant documents and was told that within 5-7 working days my account will be activated and I will receive my welcome kit, internet password and debit card. 2 weeks went by and nothing happened, I called up the business development executive and was told that my application has reached Mumbai for processing but since they are doing a system migration it is causing a delay (I mean system migration is not my problem, I want my account functional). So anyway, like a good understanding customer I waited for their system migration to get over.

I think 1st week of June is when I got my welcome kit, whereas I had gone to the bank sometime in the 2nd week of May. The letter had 31st May as the account opening date and contained nothing more than a cheque book. So I waited again, thinking in few days I will receive the rest of the things. Weeks went by but nothing came so I called up the Business Development Executive (BDE) who said that he will check and revert which he never did. I called up the phone banking which took 30 minutes to lodge a complaint and asked me to check after 48 hours. I e-mailed to the grievance e-mail listed on their website but that also did not solve my problem. Few more days passed, I called up the phone banking to know the status on my complaint and was told to call up the BDE because they will not be able to help me. So I call up the gentleman again and by this time I had lost my patience. It was the 3rd week of June and I had no way of checking my account balance or do any online transaction. The BDE then sent an executive to my home to get the forms filled again. Now, here is another example of their proactiveness. Since, it is a current account, I thought a company seal might be required along with my signatures on the form. I asked the executive who had come to my house, but he had no clue whether the seal was required or not so I again call up Mr. BDE to find that out and then he tells me, “Yes, Yes madam, seal is also required.” If I were not more pro active and called him, this form again would have got rejected and caused further delay. Anyway, last week of June I finally got my Debit card and internet password (which is a month after my account got opened) however, I am still waiting for my Debit card PIN.

I also happened to call their FOREX number to get a swift transaction details and they were the least helpful to begin with. I had to make 3 calls and in every call they gave me just 1 information each time. When I asked the bank details the lady obliged me by giving me only “half” the bank’s name. Finally my husband called up and requested them to e-mail us all the information which thankfully they did.

Thats the whole story…I just hope in future I do not have to deal with the bank in person.